


The Mother Dragon

by bakercrown



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 11:33:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17120576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakercrown/pseuds/bakercrown
Summary: Tina ruins a shirt crying about the loss of Queenie and sneaks downstairs to swap it out for a clean one without anyone noticing. Too bad for her Newt shows up after she has changed intohisshirt. And Mercy Lewis, he cantellshe's been crying.Fic was an entry for the Hogwash Newtina Nerds discord server's Secret Santa event.





	The Mother Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [porcupinegoldstein](https://archiveofourown.org/users/porcupinegoldstein/gifts).



> Thank you to my betas, LacieFuyu and Santinória, for making this fic better than it was!

“Is that my shirt?” Newt sounded flabbergasted and Tina couldn’t blame him. She felt a red flush creeping up her face. She hadn’t meant for Newt to see her like this. It was only that--she had been crying last night and she hadn’t gone to fetch her luggage yet. She had needed a shirt since her own was soaked in tears and mucus. And, naturally, she had gravitated towards Newt’s, hanging in his laundry room innocently. Perfectly clean, perfectly pressed, waiting to be worn.

She’d thought she would be able to get away with hiding the tears, if she was lucky. Jacob, Nagini, and Theseus had decided to go sightseeing around London and had left before Tina had even gotten up. Kama was off giving an interview to the Ministry on what had happened.

She had woken up once everyone had been busy, and being alone with no work to keep her busy had caused the truth to come sinking in…

Her sister had joined one of the very Dark wizards she was tasked with catching. Tina had cried like she had never done in her life. It was her fault, no matter what Jacob might have claimed last night. She should have supported the relationship, should have--Well, the _should haves_ were pointless now, but that didn't make Tina any less devastated.

After she had cried, her blouse covered in snot and tears she had thrown it in Newt’s wash and nabbed a shirt hanging nearby, hoping he wouldn’t notice. It smelled like the niffler even after being in the wash, and made her think of Newt. Of course she wanted to wear it.

“ _Like fire in dark water.”_

The compliment still made Tina’s heart speed up a little.

She especially thought of it now, as Newt’s eyes zoomed from her to the shirt, looking flustered.

“Uh, yes,” Tina said. She let her eyes drift over to Newt’s red face. “Sorry mine was ruined.” She quickly thought of a lie. “I was eating breakfast and the niffler spilled orange juice all over my blouse while he was trying to get to my pocket watch.”

Her heart still pounded rapidly, but from the stress of the lie and not the memory of Newt’s romantic compliment. She had always had to be the one who kept things together. With all they had lost in that amphitheater, someone had to be the stable one. She was used to being that person. When their parents had died, she had been the one who had held it together for Queenie. When Queenie had gone back to Jacob’s bakery, she had been the voice of reason--this couldn’t be any different. She had to be the rock. It was who she was.

Still, she wasn’t sure if Newt would buy the comment about it being orange juice with her eyes swollen and puffy, but Newt wasn’t a people person. Maybe he wouldn’t notice. She knew he cared about her and would be happy to comfort her--but she didn’t want to have to put him in the awkward position where he would be out of his depth.

“Well, I’m glad you were able to find something to wear,” Newt said. “Um--Tina, after what happened yesterday at the amphitheater--Queenie, Credence--” He swallowed. “I--You know I’m no good at those things. But--I’m here if you need me.”

Tina was touched. He was trying, even if it was hard. She smiled at him. “How do your beasts react when they’re hurting, Newt?” Maybe _that_ would make it easier for him to help her.

She still did not cry. She wouldn’t put that on Newt, no matter how sweet and helpful he tried to be. Newt had just lost his old friend Leta. He needed her to be strong.

Newt meanwhile, brightened at being able to compare it to something he was comfortable with, he looked relieved.

“You’re--you’re like a mother dragon, Tina,” he said, taking a step towards her, gently taking her hand. “You nurtured Queenie, and Credence too, as much as you could, looking out for them, keeping them safe. And then, Grindelwald came and took your charges from you, right from under your nose! Now,” Newt reached and put an arm around Tina, drawing her dangerously closer, until their noses touched. “You won’t be complete until they’re home. Restless and worried. Just like a mother dragon, Tina.”

She smiled, despite how nervous she was as she wrapped her trembling arms around Newt. She knew where this was going. She wanted it, too. So, so badly. But was now the time? Newt was right, she was like a fierce nesting dragon whose babies had been taken. She would never be at peace, not until Queenie and Credence were far away from that man. That man who was lying to them, promising them their hearts desires if they did terrible things for him in exchange--

She must have stiffened because she felt Newt gently rubbing her back. It was such a comforting motion and she needed it so much--though it made her muscles relax, a shiver trail down her spine, tears still pooled at the corners of her eyes and she closed the gap between herself and Newt, pressing her lips to his--needing his understanding, needing his love, wishing she wasn’t close to a breakdown--

For one moment, she forgot all about Grindelwald. She forgot about the two people who she had always protected, who needed her desperately. All she thought about were Newt’s soft lips; how he smelled like a fresh tree, like Pickett; how warm comforting his body was pressed up against hers. All that mattered where Newt’s hands reaching into her hair, running his hands through her locks--

Then they broke apart. Tina actually managed to smile. Newt gently brought his hands down to her neck.

“Tina--I--I’m sorry if you aren’t ready for that or if it’s too soon but I--You know I can’t express myself, but I wanted to help you however I could and--”  
Tina brought a hand to Newt’s lips. “You did a wonderful job expressing yourself, Newt.” She smiled gently. “And I can always tell when you want to help me. You don’t need to get the words right. I know.”

He smiled back. “Good.” He smoothed Tina’s hair, since it had become rumpled during the kiss. “And I--I can’t say I’ll be much help, but I swear I’ll do whatever it takes to help you track your baby dragons, Tina.”

Tina leaned forward, her forehead touching Newt’s. She closed her eyes, content for just this moment.

“I know you will, Newt,” she whispered. “And I want you there, the whole way.”


End file.
